Modak time!

It’s that time of the year when modaks beckon, so try these unique varieties, courtesy Vrinda Deshmukh

Chocolate modak

Ingredients

200 gm equal chocolate bars (dark, milk and white)

50 gms Gulkand

Method

1 Melt small portions of the three chocolate bars in separate bowls in a double boiler. Pour melted chocolate, one-by-one, and apply it on all sides of the mould. Then add gulkand into the mould and cover it with the remaining chocolate. All three chocolates can be used in any combination of your choice of colours for the modak.

2 Allow these ingredients to set for 10 minutes and then remove the modak from the mould and your delicious chocolate modaks are ready!

Kalakand stuffed modak

Ingredients

1½ cup besan (gram flour)

½ cup ghee (clarified butter)

¾ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp cardamom powder,

Milk kalakand (milk burfi)

Chopped dry fruits of your choice.

Method

1 In a thick bottom pan heat ghee and add gram flour to it. Roast till you get a nice aroma and the colour changes to light brown. Stir continuously. Once done, add cardamom powder. Let it cool for some time. Add powdered sugar to it when it is slightly warm. Mix well until sugar is properly blended. Take small portions of the mixture, press them between the palms and stuff kalakand and dry fruit mixture, seal it and give it a modak shape. It is ready to serve.

Rava naral ladoo

Ingredients

5 cups jada rava (sooji)

3 cups sugar

2 cups milk

1½ cups ghee (clarified butter)

1 whole grated coconut

2 tsp saffron strands and cardamom syrup

Dry fruits of your choice.

Method

1 In a thick bottom pan roast rava with ghee. Stir continuously or it will burn. Roast till you get a fragrant aroma and the colour changes to light brown. Add coconut and roast for five minutes. It should not burn.

2 In another pan, heat milk and sugar together. Let the sugar melt, remember to stir continuously. Once sugar is melted, let it boil for five minutes. Check if it is a little sticky and a light one-string consistency. Do not cook it for too long. Add saffron and cardamom syrup and chopped dry fruits of your choice. You can roast dry fruits (cashew nuts, almond, raisins) before adding them. Add sugar syrup to the rava mix. Mix well and keep it aside. Let it cool down. Take small portions and make ladoos.

Tips

1 Rava should be properly roasted, otherwise the ladoos will be sticky.

2 Sugar syrup should not be cooked for too long as it will turn ladoos hard.

Rumali wadi

Ingredients

For cover:

4 boiled potatoes

2 tsp cornflour

2 tsp gram flour

1 tsp ginger,

Coriander leaves

Green chilli paste

Salt to taste.

For filling:

3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

3 tbsp grated coconut

Green chillies as per taste

1 tsp lime juice

Salt to taste.

Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.

Method

1 Mash boiled potatoes and add corn flour, gram flour, ginger, coriander, green chilli paste and salt. Mix well. Take a large square cloth, dampen it and spread it on the kitchen platform. Spread potato mixture on it evenly and stuffing on top. With the help of a cloth, roll one edge towards the inner side, covering the stuffing. Bring the sides till the end, roll as tightly as possible. Do not remove cloth.

2 Place this on a double boiler and steam for 20 minutes. Then let it cool and refrigerate for half an hour. Cut it into small pieces, roll it in poppy seeds, sesame seeds and sooji and shallow fry till light brown in colour. Serve hot with ketchup and pudina chutney.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 20)You are likely to remain careful and watchful today, foretells Ganesha. And because you'll be invited to parties and other social events, your enthusiasm will remain buoyant. You will also strike the right balance between business and pleasure, says Ganesha.